Michael Kolganov 
Born: October 24: 1974
Disipline: Canoe (Kayak)
Association: Hapoel Emek HaYarden
Coach: Danny Miroshinsky
Michael Kolganov was Israel’s last hope to bring home a medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games which was almost the first games since 1988 in Seoul where Israel left empty handed.
Kolganov was born in Uzbekistan in 1974 and at the age of 22 moved to Israel, exactly four years before the Olympic Games in Australia. He lived in Kibbutz Degania right next to the Kineret and immediately joined the Hapoel Emek HaYarden association. 
Just before the closing ceremonies of the Sydney Games began, Kolganov participated in the K-1 500 M Final as Israel’s last hope to win a medal. There was tremendous pressure as the Israeli delegation was about to come back home empty handed after Kolganov finished the 1000 M Kayak event in 4th place just the day before and missed out on the Bronze Medal by just .42 of a second.
The race was scheduled for 09:00 in the morning but due to high winds the competition was delayed. First an hour and then two and then yet another two hours. The athletes waited tensely for the winds to die down. While the hours passed by, Kolganov went down to the water and sat in the small kayak waiting patiently for his chance at glory.
At 15:18 the race began and as it says, “I’ll begin the strongest and get stronger slowly but surely,” Kolganov jumped out to the lead and cruised to first place. He was ahead by a full Kayak length but over the last 50 meters he began to slow down and his lead disappeared, finishing in third place just ahead of the fourth place kayaker to take home the bronze medal.
The coaches and fans celebrated. Israel had won a medal at the last moment, a medal that saved the games for the Israeli delegation. Alex Giladi, Israel’s International Olympic Committee representative was the one who placed the medal around Kolganov’s neck.
Efraim Zinger, the head of the delegation said with relief, “Misha proved that he is athlete number 1 in the country. He’s a top athlete.” “The medal is heavy on me,” declared Kolganov. “I was under a lot of pressure. Every day you see athletes who are trying to take a medal but go home empty handed.”
Kayak and Canoe World Championships
1998 Gold Medal, Szeged – 200 meters, single kayak
1999 Gold medal, Milan – 200 meters, single kayak
1998 Silver medal, Szeged – 500 meters, single kayak
Kayak and Canoe European Championships
2000 Gold Medal – 500 meters, single kayak
2000 Gold Medal- 1000 meters, single kayak
2006 Bronze Medal – 200 meters, double kayak
